Needless Things Podcast 241 – Video Game Character Hall of Fame Live from Dragon Con

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-kp5pw-a0922d

Recorded LIVE at Dragon Con 2018 for the American Sci-Fi Classics Track!

Beth, Dave, Ryan Cadaver, Salena Balls, and Noel Wood select their favorite classic video game characters and a live audience determines who is the greatest of all time!
Listen in and find out if Albert Thermostat Dracula truly is the greatest classic video game character ever!
Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com
Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men?
You can follow Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Game of Thrones is Coming

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m getting pretty impatient for the last season of Game of Thrones. There are only a few long months to wait, but I can’t seem to find any real facts about what’s coming up. The cast is keeping quiet, and they’re even filming fake scenes to keep leakers from leaking. Telling me that what’s coming will make the Battle of the Bastards seem like nothing doesn’t help. Personally, I thought Hardhome was a better fight, but I guess Peter Dinklage disagrees. Maybe I only prefer Hardhome because it looks like what would happen if the cover of a metal album came to life. Regardless, I can’t stand all this waiting without even a hint of what I’m waiting for. So in the face of no facts I thought I’d bring you some hardcore nerd conjecture. The only real spoilers are for a book that isn’t (and may never be) out yet. Either you’re already up to speed or you only watch the show and don’t care about the books.

Retro Movie Review – 12 Thoughts About The Mask (1994)

SPOILER WARNING – THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MASK, WHICH IS 24 YEARS OLD SO MAYBE DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT

I recently watched the Jim Carrey movie The Mask with my son. The first thing his mother said was, “If I hear you saying any lines from that movie, you’re grounded”.

I think she was talking to both of us.

When The Mask was released in 1994 it was an instant, massive hit. Everyone was quoting this movie. Of course, everyone quoted everything Jim Carrey said in every movie he was in because he was literally the biggest star in the world starting in ’94.

Check this out – The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective all came out that year. Three massive comedies. And even though people don’t seem to talk as much about The Mask today, it made $351 million on a $23 million budget.

Let’s take a look at why.

Home Again – November’s Blu-Ray Releases

Welcome to Home Again, where each and every Tuesday I’ll be running down some of the best genre releases coming to home media. In general I won’t be covering 4K because I find the format overrated, but if it’s new and  happens to have some kind of edition feature I might mention it.

All info is from the excellent Blu-ray.com. This isn’t every genre release, just the ones I find interesting. For the full list, follow that link.

Toy Review – Vincent Price as Dr. Erasmus Craven Action Figure from NECA

Big thanks to super-fun site The Toy Box for bringing this figure to my attention!

As I commented on the above linked post, I remember this figure coming out back in 2002, but at the time I was hoping we might get a character from a different movie, like Dr. Phibes or Nicholas Medina. The Raven isn’t my favorite Price vehicle.

2002 was a very different time for NECA, the company we now know as the masters of toy horror. Their Reel Toys imprint (which this figure is a part of) had just launched and didn’t have the multitude franchises it does today. There was a focus on more obscure and classic horror. I’m actually struggling to recall what their first offerings were.

That was also the year that Randy Falk joined NECA and brought several former McFarlane Toys employees with him. It was the start of a huge shift in pop culture and genre action figure business.

I’m pretty sure this Vincent Price ended up being a sort of one-off item, because I don’t believe NECA released any more Vincent Prices or sixth scale figures in this style (if I’m wrong, let me know).

Needless Things Podcast 240 – RoboCop Needless Commentary

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rp7ee-9fde84

Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films!

This time around the Needless Commentary Team takes on the future of law enforcement – RoboCop!
Released in 1987 and depicting an unspecified dystopian future, RoboCop is a violent, funny, action-packed flick with a little something for everyone. Director Paul Verhoeven and writer Edward Nuemeier take a cynical look at America and all of the things we love so much about her.
With a powerful cast and effects that were groundbreaking for the time, RoboCop remains a landmark of genre film.
Listen in as Dave, Battle Cougar, Ryan Cadaver, Rad Ranger, and Arian as they visit Detroit for a taste of cybernetic mayhem!
Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!
“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com
Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men?
You can follow Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest on pop culture!

Record Store Day Black Friday 2018

Because I am a big chump obsessed with music and collecting things I resumed collecting records a few years ago.

I’ve owned records all my life, as my dad had an extensive collection and that’s where I first started to discover music that you could take home as opposed to listen to on the radio. I started collecting in earnest in the early 90s when I discovered  punk and 7” records were a big thing.

In 2009 our house flooded and I lost a huge number of irreplaceable items – records that were signed, limited editions, whatever. There was a copy of Wesley Willis’ album Rock n’ Roll Will Never Die that I had gotten signed by Willis at a live show before he, ironically, died. Obviously I can’t ever replace that.

So in 2009 I stopped buying vinyl. It’s hard to lose that much unique stuff and start over. Especially since I had mostly accepted the idea of digital music at that point.

Then, a few years ago, I heard about this thing called Record Store Day.

That could be a whole other post, but suffice it to say that one thing led to another and now I’m collecting records again.

Home Again – November’s Blu-Ray Releases

Welcome to Home Again, where each and every Tuesday I’ll be running down some of the best genre releases coming to home media. In general I won’t be covering 4K because I find the format overrated, but if it’s new and happens to have some kind of edition feature I might mention it.

All info is from the excellent Blu-ray.com. This isn’t every genre release, just the ones I find interesting. For the full list, follow that link.

One: 12 Collective Wonder Woman Action Figure from Mezco

Gal Gadot blew away audience expectations with her portrayal of Diana of Themyscira in DC’s films.

She soared above the material of her first appearance in Dawn of Justice, providing a truly unforgettable segment in an otherwise… let’s say “divisive” film. She carried a solo film that was “pretty good” at best to greatness in the eyes of most fans, and as a result was the centerpiece of the follow-up, Justice League.

Now, thanks to Gadot’s bright, magnetic performance and admittedly good care being taken of her character, Wonder Woman is the sole point of positivity and high expectations in an otherwise highly questionable DC movie universe.

Note – While I am super-stoked for Aquaman and Shazam and relatively excited for Joker and Suicide Squad 2; not everyone is. So I speak from a “in the public eye” perspective.

I fell in love with Diana just as much as everyone else did. This of course meant that, me being me, I wanted the best Wonder Woman figure I could find (that wasn’t a $275 Hot Toys release).

I adore Mezco’s One:12 Collective line and had no doubt that they’d create the best possible movie Wonder Woman for the money I was willing to spend. I have had exactly two product issues with this line so far. The first was that every single Reverse Flash that came into the comic shop had a twisted up belt (which turned out to be a widespread production error), so I ended up without a Reverse Flash.

The second was the broken arm on my Special Ops Punisher, which Mezco made right with impressive quickness; after a phone call.

I hate to say it, but this might be the first One:12 figure I’m truly dissatisfied with. There are a couple of issues I just can’t get past. Do they ruin the figure or will I get over it? Read on.

Needless Things Podcast 239 – Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse!

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4jeiq-9f422c

One of the world’s most well-known animated shorts, Steamboat Willie, premiered on November 18^th, 1928. Since then it’s star, Mickey Mouse, has become an almost unparalleled pop culture icon.

To celebrate Mickey’s 90^th birthday Dave West, Sean Reid, Ryan Cadaver, Dan Wilson, and Derek Tatum shared their Mickey memories on this very special episode of the Needless Things Podcast. From toys to cartoons to theme parks, the crew discuss the history of one of the world’s most beloved characters!

Plus! Dave talks to Jami Jones – a fixture of the Georgia comic book scene – about her new store, Infinite Realities! Opening on December 1^st in Tucker, GA, Infinite Realities promises to be a destination stop for fans of comics and pop culture for years to come!
Listen in for big comic book news and a celebration of Mickey Mouse!
Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com
Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men?
You can follow Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!